SUGGESTED TRAINING PROGRAM

from Ken Brown, Certified Personal Trainer

IF YOU CAN DO 5 PUSH-UPS, YOU CAN TRAIN FOR

AND

SUCCEED IN THIS CHALLENGE!

Proper Push-Up Technique:

Please note, this is supposed to be fun and good for you. Listen to your body, and do not overstress yourself. If you cannot start with the suggested program, modify to meet your readiness level. It's ok to start on your knees and work up to full pushups, though only full pushups will be counted at the Challenge. This training is about consistency, discipline and improving your overall health while, most of all -- enjoying the journey.

BEGINNER PROGRAM

Proper Push-Up:

1. Hand placement: hands are to be placed just outside the shoulders. If you were to draw a rectangle that encompassed your body with the sides of the rectangle being the edge of your shoulders, then your hands should be just outside that. Here is a pictorial:

2. Foot placement: it says everywhere that feet are supposed to be at midline. You can have equally good form if you place your feet at shoulder width apart, i.e. within that rectangle described and drawn above. I say that because pushing your feet out actually helps you from arching your back by forcing the abs to tighten.

3. Body position: your body should be perfectly inline, from the neck to the heels, throughout the push up.

4. Head position: you have a couple of choices here. Many people suggest looking straight down. When I do that however, I end up moving my head up and down with the push up (which is incorrect - the head should be perfectly still). Another option, which is one I prefer, is to look up slightly. That helps focus on one point, and it also helps keeping the head from bobbing around and avoiding neck strain.

5. Top position: while in the top part of the push up, the arms should be straight, but should not be locked at the elbows. If you don?t allow the elbows to lock, the muscles will be contracting the entire time.

6. Bottom position: at minimum, you must go down until the inside portion of your elbows are 90 degrees. You may however choose to go all the way down to the floor if you would like to increase your range of motion and strength.

Week 1: 5 push ups every 20 seconds for 5 minutes. Do this workout 3 days a week.

Week 2: same as above for 10 minutes. Do this workout 2-3 days a week

Week 3: same as above for 15 minutes. Do this workout 2-3 days a week

Week 4: same as above for 20 minutes. Do this workout 2-3 days a week

Week 5: same as above for 25 minutes. Do this workout 1-2 days a week

Week 6: same as above for 30 minutes. Do this workout once a week

To be successful in completing the Push Up & Up Challenge you will need to train and condition the body for muscle endurance and quick recovery. It?s important to warm up and lightly stretch before training and cool-down and stretch deeply after training.

INTERMEDIATE PROGRAM

This is for the person who has a regular workout regimen including 4-5 days a week of resistance training and cardiovascular exercise.

Week 1: Choose one day to do push ups for 30 minutes taking 2 minutes rest between sets.Sets can be in repetitions of 10-15, 15-20, or 20-25

Week 2: Same as above rest for only 90 seconds between sets for 30 minutes

Week 3: Same as above rest for only 60 seconds between sets for 30 minutes

Week 4: reduce repetitions to 10-15 rest for only 45 seconds between sets for 30 minutes

Week 5: reduce repetitions to 5-10 rest for 30 seconds for 30 minutes

Week 6: reduce repetitions to 5 rest for 20 seconds for 30 minutes

To be successful in completing the Push Up & Up Challenge you will need to train and condition the body for muscle endurance and quick recovery. It is important to warm up and lightly stretch before training and cool-down and stretch deeply after training.